Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?” “From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.”
Jesus is letting us know that being peacemakers requires we be passionate, like fire, and wise about our impact. We will be opposed in our peacemaking because some people will stand passively near as bystanders to peace. Also, we will be opposed because some people will stand fiercely all around to wage war on peace. Division will indeed result when our passion for peace challenges warmakers and their addiction to wars. They will normalize their addiction to war. They will tell us, “In our law, not every soul shall live.” “Today he is a baby, tomorrow he is a fighter.” “If you don’t kill them, they will kill you.” (Rabbi Eliyahu Mali). “No humanitarian aid will enter Gaza” (Defense Minister Israel Katz). “We are putting a complete siege … No electricity, no food, no water, no gas” (Defense Minister Yoav Gallant). “Gaza will be entirely destroyed” (Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich). “I urge you to do everything and use Doomsday weapons fearlessly against our enemies. (We) must use everything in the arsenal” “A doomsday weapon! This is my opinion. May God preserve all our strength.” (Revital Gotliv – Knesset) “We’re providing Israel with all the weapons they need and when they need them” (President Biden). “We’re honored to stand alongside you and stare down many of the same threats that you do, and under President Trump’s leadership… we are going to continue to grow our defense industrial base.” “We’ve supplied munitions that were previously not supplied… and we are committed to continuing to do so.” (Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth). Warmakers require we enable them in their addiction. Warmakers require whole nations and all humanity enable them in their addiction. But we will not be their codependents. We are peacemakers, on fire. We live with a passion for peace.
“If Western Civilization were a person, we would be directing it to the nearest meeting of War-Preparers Anonymous.” “My name is Western Civilization. I am a compulsive war- preparer. (“I swear, man, just lay enough bread on me for twenty multiple re-entry vehicles and a fleet of B-1 bombers, and I’11 never bother you again.”) “We the people, because of our ignorance of the disease, have again and again entrusted (control) to people we did not know were sickies… All we have to do is separate them from the levers of (control)… There is no appeasing an addict for very long. Most addictions start innocently enough in childhood… encouraged as infants to clap their hands with glee at a… Fourth of July parade. Should addicts of any sort hold high office in this or any other country? Absolutely not, for their first priority will always be to satisfy their addiction, no matter how terrible the consequences may be.” (Kurt Vonnegut – War Preparers’ Anonymous)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, Peace is our calling.
Question: How strong does my passion for peace burn?
August 17, 2025 Gospel Luke 12:49-53 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time